WTN: Mostly Merlot (inc. great '66 Magdelaine)

NV Doyard Champagne “Cuvee Vendemiaire Premier Cru” Brut
Label doesn’t say Blanc de Blancs, but back says 100% Chardonnay. This is fresh, but man the dosage is high. Lemon pie, apple turnover, and a little floral note. Good but not my style. B-

2013 Pinon “Le Vouvray”
Lovely bottle of sec-tendre Chenin, great in context of the vintage. Lemonade and crisp apple with a touch of wool and wax, good length, good acids. B++

My turn to host local group, theme was some F&$*ing Merlot

Some charcuterie (lonza, cecina, cotto salami, lamb pate, pate grandmere) cheeses, (Kasseri, Stella Vallis, and Hudson valley “camembert”) and dips (baba ganoush, hummus, and htipiti). Plus I grilled some Toulouse style sausages.

Blind Wine #1
Ripe sweet, guessed California, black plum with a little jammy note.Some tannic backbone. Roger said it was Oregon, which surprised me, not run across many OR Merlots, but then revealed. 2015 Crossfork Creek Merlot (Yakima Valley) B-

Blind Wine #2
Way leaner, I thought a lot of Cab Franc, black plum and some green notes and cedar. I guessed Fronsac, Dave says label says next to Fronsac (pure luck). 78% Merlot. 12% Cab Franc. 10% CS . 2014 Ch. Recougne (Bordeaux Superieur) B-

Blind Wine #3
Mine, so no guesses. First comment “I thought Dale would open something old, this is young.” I gradually walked them back through the decades till we got to Marc’s birthyear (his birthday was a couple weeks ago). Decanted about 90 minutes before serving, best showing yet of this. Beautiful black cherry fruit, topped with mocha, leather, and cigarbox. Very long, great balance. Gets a nice smoky topnote in glass. 1966 Ch. Magdelaine (St. Emilion) A/A-

Blind Wine #4
Pretty sturdy, more structure than fruit. The fruit that does show is quite dark, some cocoa, but pretty tightly coiled. I thought young St. Em. 2005 Ch. Bourgneuf (Pomerol) B/B- for now, potential for more

Blind Wine #5
Pretty good acids, fresh and grapey, bright. 2015 Bonny Doon I Am Not Drinking Any $%&*#! Merlot, B/B-

Blind Wine #6
Heavy bottle, heavy wine. Some people’s fave. Obviously Cali, pretty representative of the style. Oak, kirsch and cassis, but with surprising acidic lift. 2014 Trefethen Merlot (Oak Knoll, Napa) B-/B

Blind Wine #7
Such nice dark berry fruit, but a hint of CF greenness. I guessed young St. Em.
2014 Ch. Mayne-Viel (Fronsac) B

Blind Wine #8
I didn’t do any guessing, because as it was poured Cal said he used to drink a lot of this in the 80s as one of the owners’ daughter was a violinist. So I knew Ridge. But I don’t think I’ve ever had a Ridge Merlot before, and this was a seriously good one. Black cherry and dark berry fruit, cocoa, spice. Nice balance of tannin, acid, and fruit, good length. 2013 Ridge Merlot B+/A-


Blind Wine #9
A bonus bottle, an orphan I found in my cellar, from a producer I don’t know. Some people’s fave of the night. Cassis, black plum, dark chocolate, licorice. Ready to go. 2000 Lafleur St. Jean (Pomerol) B+/A-

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.

[David M. Bueker]

The Ridge Merlot is delicious stuff. Pain to get it though.

[Jenise]

The only bottle of Ridge Merlot I've ever had was a 93 that came to me by way of the suicide of a friend's friend. This was about 4-5 years ago, and the wine had always been passively cellared in small apartments--the owner moved around a lot. For all those reasons didn't expect much, but opened in a blind tasting just like this it was in fact quite good and a highlight of the night.

Oh, meant to add: that Yakima wine? Good news as it's so rare that Washington wines get mentioned on this board, and yet today there were two. The bad news is that I've heard of neither producer before.

[Jenise]

Okay, about Crossfork Creek--it's part of Sheridan winery, whose style is biggish and ripe. (I'm not a fan.)

Here's what they say: "The Crossfork Creek designation gives [winemaker] Scott the chance to play with small lots of Sheridan fruit utilizing alternative winemaking techniques while staying true to his vision of exceptional quality, richness and balance."